Contingency plans drawn up over latest Falkland worries

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has drawn up new plans of readiness for the armed forces should the latest Falklands debate require tactical action.

As the 30-year anniversary of the initial Falkland invasion approaches, Argentina has begun to raise fresh claims of ownership of the British-controlled islands.

Talks between the governments could be seen to be breaking down, as Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has begun a campaign of disruption by banning ships which fly the Falklands flag from using Argentinean or South American ports and by threatening to not allow a food supply flight access through their airspace.

The MoD has now ordered a readiness alert from the Plymouth Naval Base for a troop of Frigates, destroyers, submarines and commandos. They have gone out of their way to make it abundantly clear to the public that there is no need to prepare ourselves for war once again.

The Telegraph has quoted a senior defence source as saying,“Britain needs to be in a situation to respond very quickly to a whole series of threats […] No orders have been given to any military unit at this stage but prudent planning within all units who could be deployed in the event of a crisis is taking place. That is quite normal. Commanders like to be two steps ahead rather than two steps behind.”

The residents of the Islands are due to take part in a vote in March to a see if they wish to remain an overseas territory of Great Britain, to which the government is expecting a 100 percent “yes”.

Ali Kirkby